Automatic edge guide for sewing machines



March 24, 1959 E. A. LEISS ET AL AUTOMATIC EDGE GUIDEHFOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 5, 1954 4 SheetS Sheet 1 ,MJR m my w M A MA A [a @A March 24, 1959 E. A. LEISS ET AL AUTOMATIC EDGE sums FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 5. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 64 BA V56 March 24, 1959 Filed Nov. 5, 1954 E. A. LEISS ETAL AUTOMATIC EDGE GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gig- Q i INVENTORS. M/z 167;; By 04A?! BA Y5? United States Patent AUTOMATIC EDGE GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES Emil A. Leiss, Ridgewood and Carl Bayer, Paramus, NJ.', assignors to Lever Bias Machine Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application November 5, 1954, Serial No.- 467,138 17 Claims. Cl. 270-86 This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in apparatus for automatically guiding the edges of sheet or web material as it moves through the apparatus.

It has long been known that as web or sheet material is advanced in flat or folded form through a machine, the edges of the material do not necessarily follow a straight line due to the inherent character of the material as well as to the variability of the stresses and strains to which it is subject in thus being moved.

It is sometimes exceedingly important that the,Z edges be made to follow definite lines within reasonably small limits in order to achieve certain desirable results such as rolling up the material'in a smooth roll with even end edges, or advancing folded adjacent edges of the material to a sewing or other point of treatment wherein great waste would occur if the edges were not closely and properly related to avoid such waste.

Patented Mar. 24, 1959 pivoted guide elements or bars. In this form the material is folded in half and the edges are disposed adjacent and preferably are led to a sewing point, or to an adhesive station or are merely kept in close adjacency to be rolled up in folded form into rolls with as smooth edges as possible to avoid wastage of material.

In moving through the machine, the material due to its inherent nature and also to the stresses and strains to which it is subject in thus being moved, will tend to vary from a normal path, particularly when its direction is abruptly changed as in passing over the edges of the triangular folding or forming plate. In these circumstances it has been found that if the edges start to vary their path, a movement of the controlling and guiding means, such as the spaced parallel rods through which they pass, around their pivot point will tend to immediately bring the edges back into line.

To this end the motor is connected to the controlling means and is associated with contact means activated by the edges of the material to turn the motor in one or the other direction so as to compensate rapidly forthe edge variation. These contacts are associated with edge The main object of the invention is to provide simple Further and more specific features, objects and advantages will more clearly appear from aconsideration of the detailed specification hereinafter set forth especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a present preferred form which the invention may assume and which form part of the specification.

In brief and general terms the invention comprises means for guiding and controlling the material in its passage through the machine, means for restricting the edges of the material along a portion of their length, a motor for moving the control means, and contact means associated with the motor and selectively operated by deviation of the edges from a normal path to energize the motor to move the controlling and guiding means I selectively to keep the edge movement in a normal predetermined path.

In a particular form the invention includes a triangular forming plate over which the material passes, a pair of pivoted guiding and controlling rods, closely related, to receive and guide the material, edge restricting means associated with the edges of the material and mounted on said control rods, a motor connected to said rods for moving the same, and contacts associated with the restricting means and related to the motor to energize the motor to move the control rods selectively as the edges of the material tend to vary from a normal path. When the controlling and guide bars are moved the material is forced to change its path of travel because boththe angle of travel of the material and thetension of the material is changed between the forming plate and'the restricting means which, along a short length of the edges, tends to confine them and stiffen them so that in varying the path of their travel they can more eftectivelyactuate the contact elements. These contacts and restricting means are preferably mounted on and move with the controlling and guiding means.

The present preferred form which the invention may assume is illustrated in the drawings, of which,

n Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation as viewed from the right in Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken onthe line.4.4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring now merely to the present preferred form which the invention may assume, there is a main frame 10, having longitudinally extending bars 11 and 12 with transversely spaced extending rails 13 and 14. Between bars 11 and 12 is supported a material guide roller 15 in a horizontal plane. Disposed above the main frame 10 is an auxiliary frame which is movable transversely with. respect to the main frame 10 by means of rollers 16 riding on the rails 13 and 14. This movable frame is comprised of several upright channel bars 17, several longitudinally extending horizontal frame struts 19, and 20 at the front and rear of the device and with transversely horizontally extending channel bars 21 and 22 at each side of the movable frame or support.

At-the tops of the rear channel bars 17 are connected bracket plates 23 suitably connected to and supporting the upper rear under side of a triangular forming table 24 which extends forwardly and downwardly with the apex 25 of the table disposed adjacent the upper ends of spaced parallel material controlling means such as the elongated closely spaced parallel guide rods 26, 27 which ofier a narrow elongated opening between them for the material passing through the machine. These rods slope downwardly and rearwardly as shown in Fig. 2. The space between these rods 26, 27 is substantially twice the thickness of the material A, so that when the material leaves the folding plate 24 and passes between said rods, the

plies of the material are brought into substantially contacting relation as shown in Fig. 4. The upper ends of these rods 26, 27 are connected to block 28 mounted on a hinge plate 29 pivoted at 30 to the longitudinally extending strut 19. The rear portions of these guide rods 26, 27 are connected to a bracket member 31 (Figs. 5, 6). This bracket member 31 is connected by a link 32 to the crank arm 33 of a suitable motor shown schematically at 34 and supported on a cross plate 35. The bracket 31 has a horizontal rod 36 connected thereto and this extends through suitable slots 37 in spaced dependent bracket arms 38 dependent from cross plate 35. As the crank arm 33 is rotated the bracket 31 is moved back and forth as desired and guided by the rod 36.

Supported on the pair of control and guide rods 26, 27 near their rear ends but forwardly of the bracket member 31 is another bracket member 39 on the upper portion of which are adjustably pivoted a pair of oppositely extending contact arms 40 and 41 of conducting material. These are pivoted to a plate of insulation 42 suitably disposed on the top of bracket plate 39 (Fig. 8). Centrally pivoted to the plate 42 is an oscillatable conducting contact bar 43 the opposite ends of which are disposed to contact with either of the contact arms 40, 41 as it is pivotally moved. The bar 43 is electrically connected to the motor as are the respective conducting arms 40 and 41. The motor is of a well known type in which closing of either of two circuits will cause it to move in opposite directions Thus when the bar 43 contacts one arm the motor will move in one direction while when the contact is made with the other arm the motor will move in the opposite direction The motor motion is transmitted to the bracket 31 through link 32 and thus the material controlling guide rods 26, 27 are swung one way or the other around their pivot point 30.

On the bracket 39 and below the flat top thereof is a parallel plate 44 the front end 45 of which is disposed thereto at right angles and has upturned ends 46 to which are fastened in any suitable manner material receiving and restricting channel members 47 in the form of U- shaped plates with walls closely spaced to receive the material and tend to stiffen the edge portions thereof as the material passes through them. The material is designated by the letter A throughout the drawings. The channel members along their closed sides are provided with notches 48 into which the ends of the contact bar 43 project. Normally the ends of the bar 43 do not contact the adjacent edge of the material except when the material wanders from a normal path. When this happens the material contacts the bar and moves it out whereupon the end of the bar contacts the arm 40 or 41 to close the motor circuit and move the material control and guide unit comprising the rods 26, 27 one way or the other. As shown particularly in Fig. 3 these channel material receiving members are sloped to lie in the line of the passage of the material from the edges of the forming table 24 to pass between the control and guiding rods 26, 27 as indicated by the dot and dash lines of the figure.

As shown in Fig. 2 the upper auxiliary movable frame is provided with a fixed threaded block 49 through which passes a threaded shaft 50 turned by a handle 51. The shaft is journalled in bearing 52 on an upright bracket 53 of the main and lower frame 10. Turning the handle will cause the upper frame to move along the rails 13 and 14 to properly position the parts including the forming table 24 with respect to differing widths of material to be treated. This is particularly important in the form of machine shown herein, wherein the goods are folded to bring opposite edges in close adjacency, since these edges have to travel along a fixed line which is in line with a definite treatment point which may be a sewing point. The material is pulled in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) by any suitable means (not shown).

In the operation of the machine the material is stored either in loose form folded in a crate or box or is disposed as a roll on a rotatable shaft as shown particularly in Fig. 2. It then passes, in the specific form shown, over the edges of the triangular folding or forming plate or table and then downwardly between the control and guide means such as the rods 26, 27. Between the edges of the tableand the guide rods the edges of the material pass through the restricting channel elements. From the guide rods the material passes under a roller 15 and thence to a treatment point (not shown) where it may be sewed or glued together or not as the case may be after which it moves on and either is stored loosely in a container or on a roller as desired.

The restricting channel members are related to the contact elements so that when the material edges are travelling in their normal path the edges do not touch the contact bar so that its ends do not make a circuit for the motor. However when the material edge does get out of its normal line, then the edge engages the pivoted bar and moves it to make contact and cause the motor to be energized and thus move the control means such as the rods 26, 27 about their pivot point. This motion causes the material edges to return to their normal path, at which time the contact is broken and the motor stops. Which end of the bar 43 makes contact depends upon in which direction the edges of the material are straying. In the form shown in Fig. 1 it is to be noted that the control means such as the rods 26, 27 are pivoted to the frame at a point just below the apex of the triangular table 24 and that they extend from this point rearwardly and downwardly in a line to bisect the angle of the triangular plate. It has been found that when the material passes over the table 24 and starts to deviate from a straight course, the angular movement of the rods one way or the other will cause the edge deviation to stop.

It is of course within the purview of this invention that the control means need not relate to folded edges but may control and guide a sheet unfolded with the restricting means along a portion of each edge and with related contact means to shift the control means one way or another as the edge path varies.

As previously stated when narrower or wider material is to be treated then the upper frame is moved along the rails by turning the handle 51 to properly position the material with respect to the line of travel of the goods.

While the invention has been described in detail herein as to a preferred form, it is to be clearly understood that many changes and modifications may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth, and it is not intended therefore to limit the invention to the particular form shown but only in so far as it may be limited by the scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine of the class described having a downwardly and forwardly sloping triangular folding plate, means for guiding and controlling the movement of the material through the machine, comprising an elongate member with a longitudinal opening therein of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding plate so that the material in passing through said opening, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said elongate member being pivoted at a point below the apex of the folding plate and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from said plate, a motor connected to said guiding means to move the same, channel-shaped restricting elements on said guiding means associated with opposite edges of the material and forming passages through which the edges pass along a portion of their path, to stiffen and confine the edges, contact means associated with the restricting elements and connected to the motor, said contact means normally not in contact with the edges of the material, but actuated when either edge moves out of its normal path to energize the motor to move the guidingmeans to restore the material edges to their normal path of movement.

2. In a machine for automatically controlling the movement of edges of sheet material and having a downward sloping triangular folding palte, which comprises the combination of movablem cans for guiding and controlling the material, consisting of an elongate member with a longitudinal opening therein of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding plate so that the material in passing through said opening, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said elongate member being pivoted at a point below the apex of the folding plate and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from said plate, a motor connected to said guiding means, means for restricting the edges of the material along a portion thereof, a motor for moving the control means, and selectively operated circuit means associated with the restricting means and connected to the motor means to move the control means in one direction or another, said circuit means being selectively operated by the edges of the material as it passes through the restricting means. 3. In a machine for automatically controlling the movement of the deges of sheet material having a downwardly sloping triangular folding plate which comprises the combination of pivoted means for controlling and guiding the material, said pivoted means pivoted below the apex of the plate and sloping downwardly in the opposite direction from the folding plate, channel members on said pivoted means through which the edges of the material have to pass to restrict the same, a motor for moving the control means around its pivot point, a selectively operated pivoted circuit contact bar associated with the channel members and connected to the motor means to move the pivoted control means in one direction or another, said contact bar being operated around its pivot by the edges of the material as it passes through the restricting means.

4. In a machine for automatically controlling the movement of edges of sheet material and having a downwardly sloping triangular folding plate which comprises the combination of movable means for guiding and controlling the material, said movable means being pivoted below the apex of the plate and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from the folding plate, channel elements for restricting the edges of the material along a portion thereof, said restricting means mounted on and movable with the control means, a motor for moving the control means, and selectively operated circuit contact means mounted with said restricting means and connected to the motor means to move the control means in one direction or another, said circuit contact means being selectively operated by the edges of the material as it passes through the restricting means.

5. In a machine for automatically controlling the movement of edges of sheet material and having a downwardly sloping triangular folding plate which comprises the combination of pivoted means for controlilng and guiding the material, said pivoted means being pivoted below the apex of the plate and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from the folding plate, channel members through which the edges of the material have to pass to restrict the same, said channel members mounted on and movable with the control means, a motor for moving the control means around its pivot point, a selectively operated pivoted circuit contact bar mounted with the channel members and connected to the motor to move the control means in one direction or another, said contact bar being operated around its pivot point by the edges of the material as it passes through the restricting means.

6. In a machine for automatically controlling the edge movement of sheet material which comprises a triangular folding table over which the material moves, said table a 6 sloping downwardly and forwardly to 'itsapex, a pairof closely adjacent and parallel control and guiding rods disposed below the table and pivoted at a point just below the apex of the table, said rods extending downwardly and rearwardly in the opposite direction from the table, said rods receiving the material therebetween as it leaves the table, a motor for moving said rods around their pivot point, restricting elements disposed between the table and rods and mounted on said rods to receive the edges of the material and stiffen the same, contact means associated with the restricting means and adapted to be engaged and moved by the respective edges of the material as they move out of a normal path, and circuit connections between the contact means and the motor to rotate the motor one way or the other as thecontact means is moved one way or the other by the respective edges of the material whereby the rods are swung one way or the other to restore the edges to a normal path of movement.

7. In a machine for automatically controlling the edge movement of sheet material which comprises a triangular folding table over which the material moves, said, table sloping downwardly and forwardly to its apex, a pair of closely adjacent and parallel control and guiding rods disposed below the table and pivoted at a point just below the apex of the table, said rods extending downwardly and rearwardly in the opposite direction from the table, said rods receiving the material therebetween as it leaves the table, a motor for moving said rods around their pivot point, restricting elements disposed between the table and rods and mounted on said rods to receive the edges of the material and stiffen the same, contact means associated with the restricting means and adapted to be engaged and moved by the respective edges of the material as they move out of a normal path, and circuit connections between the contact means and the motor to rotate the motor one way or the other as the contact means is moved one way or the other by the respective edges of the material whereby the rods are swung one way or the other to restore the edges to a normal path of movement, the restricting means comprising channel shaped members mounted on and movable with said rods.

8. In a machine of the class described a triangular folding table sloping downwardly to its apex, a pair of closely adjacent and parallel control rods to receive material therebetween from the table, said rods pivoted just below the apex of the table and sloping downwardly in the opposite direction, from the table and means on the rods and associated with the edges of the material for automatically swinging the rods around their pivot point as the edges of the material leaving the edges of the table vary from a normal line of travel.

9. In a machine of the class described, a triangular folding table sloping downwardly to its apex, a pair of spaced parallel control rods, the space between said rods being of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding table so that the material in passing through said space between the rods, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said rods being pivoted just below the apex of the table and sloping downwardly in the opposite direction from the table and means for automatically swinging the rods around their pivot pointas the edges of the material leaving the edges of the table vary from a normal line of travel, a pair of channel 'members on the rods embracing the respective edges of the material between the table and the rods, a motor connected to and adapted to swing the rods, and circuit contact means on the channel members associated with the motor and engaged by the edgesof the material as they stray from a normal path, to cause rotation of the motor in one way or the other to restore the edge movement to normal.

10. In a machine of the class described, a triangular folding table sloping downwardly to its apex, a pair of spaced parallel control rods, the space between said rods being of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding table so that the material in passing through said space between the rods, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said rods being pivoted just below the apex of the table and sloping downwardly in the opposite direction from the table and means for automatically swinging the rods around their pivot point as the edges of the material leaving the edges of the table vary from a normal line of travel, a pair of channel members on the rods embracing the respective edges of the material between the table and the rods, a motor connected to and adapted to swing the rods, and circuit contact means on the channel members associated with the motor and engaged by the edges of the material as they stray from a normal path, to cause rotation of the motor in one Way or the other to restore the edge movement to normal, said channel members and associated contact means mounted on and movable with said rods.

11. In a machine for automatically controlling the edge movement of sheet material which comprises a triangular folding table over which the material moves, said table sloping downwardly and forwardly to its apex, a pair of closely adjacent and parallel control and guiding rods disposed below the table and pivoted at a point just below the apex of the table, said rods extending downwardly and rearwardly in the opposite direction from the table, said rods receiving the material therebetween as it leaves the table, a motor for moving said rods around their pivot point, contact means mounted on said rods and adapted to be engaged and moved by the respective edges of the material as they move out of a normal path, and circuit connections between the contact means and the motor to rotate the motor one way or the other as the contact means is moved one way or the other by the respective edges of the material whereby the rods are swung one way or the other to restore the edges to a normal path of movement.

12. In a machine of the class described, a triangular folding table sloping downwardly to its apex, a control and guiding element; said element being elongated and having a longitudinal opening therein of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding table so that the material in passing through said opening, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said elongated element being pivoted at a point just below the apex of the folding table and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from said table, said element adapted to be selectively moved to control the Wandering of the edges of the material from a normal path.

13. In a machine of the class described, a triangular folding table sloping downwardly to its apex, a control and guiding element; said element being elongated and having a longitudinal opening therein of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding table so that the material in passing through said opening, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said elongated element being pivoted at a point just below the apex of the folding table and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from said table, and means for moving the element around its pivot point to control the movement of the material edges.

14. In a machine of the class described, a triangular folding table sloping downwardly to its apex, a control and guiding element; said element being elongated and having a longitudinal opening therein of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding table so that the material in passing through said opening, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation, said elongated element being pivoted at a point just below the apex of the folding table and extending downwardly in the opposite direction from said table, restricting means mounted on the control element and dis posed between the control element and the table and engaging the edges of the material, means for moving the element around its pivot point, and means associated with the restricting means and the moving means to control the movement of the material edges.

15. In a machine for automatically controlling the edge movement of sheet material, comprising a triangular folding table on the surface of which the material moves, a pair of spaced parallel control and guiding rods, the space between said rods being of a width not more than substantially twice the thickness of the material, for receiving the material therethrough after it leaves the folding table so that the material in passing through said space between the rods, has its plies brought into substantially contacting relation; said rods being pivoted at a point near the apex of said table and extending opposite the other surface of such table in angular relation with the first mentioned table surface, a motor for moving said rods around their pivot point, elements disposed between said table and rods and mounted on said rods so that the respective edges of the material pass adjacent said elements respectively, contact means associated with said elements and adapted to be moved by the movement of the respective edges of the material as such edges move out of a normal path and circuit connections between said contact means and the motor to rotate the motor one way or the other as the contact means move one way or the other due to movement of the respective edges of the material whereby the rods are swung one way or the other to restore the said edges to a normal path of movement.

16. The machine as defined in claim 15, wherein said rods slant across the line of movement of the material.

17. The machine as defined in claim 15, wherein the table is above the rods and slopes downwardly forwardly towards its apex and wherein said rods slope downwardly rearwardly in the opposite direction from the table.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,163,565 Schwartz Dec. 7, 1915 1,865,945 Monforts et a1. July 5, 1932 2,619,057 Ellis Nov. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 591,005 France June 25, 1925 

